Microsoft rolls out redesigned Start Menu for Windows 11 with smarter layout and productivity-boosting features

Microsoft is sending out a significant update to the Start menu in Windows 11, laying the groundwork for greater productivity and working habits. In the October 2025 non-security update for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 (KB5067036), the new Start menu is being released to users in the “Get the latest features” channel.

A more fluid Start menu layout

The most noticeable change is that the main Start menu screen has a more fluid layout: rather than being constrained to a fixed grid of pinned apps on one side and “recommended” apps and tiles on the other, the revised menu simply lists every installed application on the main screen in the new version. Users can switch between the category (grouped by type) and alphabetical list layout as they desire, and get to their go-to apps with fewer taps or clicks.

It’s also possible to hide sections such as pinned apps or recommendations to free up space.

Contextually aware interaction and screen resizing

Related to that, the Start menu also reshapes the pinned and recommended sections according to screen real estate, with a wider or taller screen displaying more items. Microsoft is also adding tighter integration for mobile devices with an updated Phone Link pane that shows up on the right of the Start menu. Users with a paired Android or iOS mobile device will be able to see recent notifications or reply to messages from the desktop without having to switch to the phone.

Refinements to the taskbar, too

Microsoft is making more nuanced changes to the taskbar and interface elements elsewhere in the OS, too. The thumbnail animations that play when hovering over taskbar icons are more refined, and a perma-percent style battery icon is supported. Again, it’s the kind of quality-of-life refinement that adds up to a more pleasant experience in day-to-day use.

For a productivity-focused audience and power users who are more sensitive to changes in the OS, the revamped Start menu is one of the first tangible changes that Windows 11 will be less of a static, fixed-layout OS and more context-aware. By offering layout flexibility in addition to more seamless integration with mobile devices and automatic screen-aware resizing, the OS is at least taking the first steps to appearing more anticipatory of the user’s context instead of trying to lock the user into a particular workflow.

It will also give OEMs and IT managers the hooks they need to tune the desktop for different kinds of hardware more granularly (tablets, large-screen PCs, traditional laptops and hybrid form factors).

Installation

If your computer is set to receive “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available,” you should check Windows Update to see if the new Start menu is available. In its announcement, Microsoft says it will be rolled out to all channels by November’s Patch Tuesday.